Warrick Dunn joined Nease, Lagana, Eden & Culley, Inc. in 2015. Warrick provides life insurance services to families, business owners, corporate executives and other high-income individuals. Drawn to the life insurance industry by his own personal experiences, Warrick understands the difference life insurance can make for a surviving family or business. After his mother, a police officer, died in the line of duty, it was the life insurance policy that allowed Warrick and his family to purchase and stay in their home.
If Warrick’s name sounds familiar to you, it should. He is a former All-Star American football running back who played for both the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a combined 12 seasons before retiring from the NFL in 2008. Prior to that, he played during college at Florida State University where he set several records for the school including 21 100-yard rushing games and 47 touchdowns in four seasons.
Known for his philanthropic endeavors, Warrick founded Warrick Dunn Charities in 2002 to improve the lives of individuals through innovative programming inspired by his life. Two of its programs include Home for the Holidays and Betty’s Hope. Home for the Holidays, a program in honor of his mother Betty Smothers, seeks to provide opportunities for economically disadvantaged single parents and children who have demonstrated a commitment to achieve financial independence and stability. To date, the program has rewarded more than 147 single parents and their combined 399+ children and dependents for achieving first-time homeownership nationwide across seven states. And, the Betty’s Hope program, based in Warrick’s hometown of Baton Rouge, provides children and teens a safe place to heal and find an enhanced quality of life through group support.
Warrick is active in many other nonprofit and civic organizations including his leadership roles as an Advisory Board Member at the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law at Villanova University School of Law and as an honorary member of the National High School Scholars Board of Advisors.
Warrick obtained his Executive MBA degree from the Emory University, and holds a Bachelor’s degree in information studies from the Florida State University.
Awards/Accolades:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Legacy Award Honoree (2015)
- General Motors’ African Ancestry Network (GMAAN) Trailblazer Award (2014)
- Heisman Humanitarian Award (2010)
- Sporting News’ Top 100 Most Powerful Sports Personalities
- Sporting News’ 1 Good Guy in Pro Sports Award (2005)
- Atlanta Falcons’ Man of the Year (2003)
- Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1997)
Leadership:
- Member of the 1st Class of NFL Legends (2013)
- Limited Partner of the Atlanta Falcons (2010)
- Co-founder of Athletes for Hope (2007)
- Founder of Warrick Dunn Charities (2002)
Walter L. Helms (Walt) is a Principal of Nease, Lagana, Eden, & Culley, Inc. He joined NLEC in 2008 and specializes in creating customized wealth transfer plans for affluent families and business owners. These strategies include combining life insurance with appropriate transfer strategies to meet the objectives of the families and business owners. Typical plans include multiple generations and employ sophisticated techniques such as Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs), split dollar arrangements, Family Limited Partnerships (FLPs), installment sales and discounted assets. Additionally, Walt advises corporate clients on employee benefit plans including Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation (NQDC) plans, Supplemental Executive Retirement Plans (SERPs) and executive bonus plans.
Walt regularly speaks at local, regional and national conferences on topics including life insurance and sophisticated strategies to efficiently transfer assets over multiple generations. He also participates on various national committees advising life insurance carriers on product development for the affluent market as well as advocating for the entire life insurance community regarding appropriate tax and regulatory treatment of life insurance. Additionally, he has held teaching positions at Georgia State, Emory, and Oglethorpe University.
Walt received a Bachelor of Science in Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He continued his graduate studies at the Georgia State University earning two degrees—a Master of Taxation and Master of Science in Personal Financial Planning. He is a registered representative of M Holdings Securities, Inc.
Leadership:
- Member of the Association of Advanced Life Underwriters
- Member of Atlanta Estate Planning Council
- Member of North GA Estate Planning Council
- Member Product Development Group (PDG) – M Financial Group
- Member Government Affairs Committee (MGAC) – M Financial Group
- Chair of the Georgia Foundation for Public Education (GFPE)
Certifications/Licenses:
- Certified Financial PlannerTM
- Series 7 and 63 securities licenses
Lawton M. Nease, III (Mac) is a Principal of Nease, Lagana, Eden & Culley, Inc. which was founded in 1988. Mac specializes in planning for estates and businesses in the affluent marketplace and has been involved in some of the industry’s largest and most complex life insurance placements. As an adjunct professor for Georgia State University’s Graduate School of Business, he has instructed courses in business insurance, executive benefits and estate planning. He has also been a special lecturer to the national legal, accounting and estate planning communities for many years. He chaired the committee representing the insurance industry during negotiations around the split dollar regulations with the US Treasury and the IRS during 2001. He also authored the renowned dissertation “Estate and Gift Tax Consequences of Third Party Owned Life Insurance.”
Mac is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology in business and industrial management. He has an MBA and a PhD in business from Georgia State University and the CLU designation from The American College. He is a registered representative of M Holdings Securities, Inc.
Awards/Accolades:
- Hall of Fame Inductee for the National Association of Estate Planning Councils (2013)
- Distinguished Service Award from the Georgia Institute of Technology
- Harry I. Davis Award representing outstanding leadership to the Atlanta insurance community
Leadership:
- Member of the M Financial Group, M Financial Investment Advisors, and M Funds, Inc. Boards
- Chairman of the Product Development Group for M Financial
- Member of the Georgia Tech Athletic Association Board
- Past National president of the Advanced Association for Life Underwriting
- Past President of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council
- Past Regional Vice President of the Society of Financial Service Professionals
- Past Chair of the Board of Trustees for the Georgia Tech Foundation
- Past Director of the Educational Foundation at Georgia State University
Certifications/Licenses:
- Series 6 and 63 securities licenses
Peter Fleming joined Nease, Lagana, Eden, & Culley, Inc. as Vice President of Marketing in 2009. Peter specializes in advisor education for the estate planning community, where he conducts personalized educational sessions on the effective uses of life insurance as a planning tool. In addition, he uses real life case studies to help advisors and their clients understand how life insurance has been used in the affluent planning market. He serves as NLEC’s liaison with the American Bar Association, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and various family office groups. Peter is also responsible for developing strategic alliances/joint ventures with other organizations to assist with the placement of life insurance in the ultra-affluent marketplace. Peter has spoken before multiple estate planning and tax groups and has authored several articles published in Private Wealth Magazine.
Peter has been involved in the Atlanta community for many years. He has served on the vestry for St. Anne’s Episcopal Church where he chaired the Finance Committee as well as served on the Advisory Board at St. Anne’s Day School. Peter also served as Chairman of the Search Committee for St. Anne’s new rector.
Peter is a graduate of the University of Florida, and has completed executive education courses at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He is a registered representative of M Holdings Securities, Inc.
Leadership:
- Associate Member of the American Bar Association
- Member of the Atlanta Capital City Club
Certifications/Licenses:
- Series 6 and 63 securities licenses
Brent M. Eden joined Nease, Lagana, Eden & Culley in 2011 after practicing law in Atlanta, Georgia. He became a Partner and Shareholder in 2019. Brent specializes in providing life insurance advice through implementation and management of customized, integrated planning solutions to families, business owners, corporate executives, and other individuals of substantial assets and/or income. He also advises privately and publicly held businesses in the areas of key-person coverage, buy-sell agreement funding, and executive benefits. Brent recommends solutions that are in the best interests of his clients and match their overall planning strategies and objectives. He enjoys collaborative work and is committed to high quality service and innovative solutions.
Brent was elected to the Board of Directors of M Financial Group in 2021, and currently serves on the Audit, Compensation, and Member Firm Compensation Plan Committees. He is the current President of the Estate Planning Council of North Georgia, and a member of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council. Brent is also a member of the American, Georgia and Atlanta Bar Associations, and holds the Trust & Estate Practitioner (TEP) designation as a member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners (STEP). He is also a Member and participates in the Ambassador program of Finseca, the top advocacy, promotion and development organization for life insurance and financial security professionals.
Brent holds leadership roles and advisory and executive board memberships with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, the Atlanta Jewish Foundation and the Atlanta Beltline 67 (AB67), a group of professionals who advocate for the Atlanta BeltLine in support of the Atlanta BeltLine Partnership.
Brent graduated from the University of Michigan and obtained his law degree from Georgia State University College of Law, focusing on estate planning and litigation. In law school he was a member of the Moot Court Board, was an Honor Court Justice, and clerked for the Honorable Jerry Baxter, Superior Court of Fulton County. Prior to law school Brent clerked at the law firm of Alston & Bird, LLP, where he worked exclusively on the Enron bankruptcy. Brent also lived for a year in New Zealand, where he worked for the New Zealand law firm Buddle Findlay and the Kinloch Lodge.
Designations/Certifications/Licenses:
- J.D., Georgia State University College of Law
- Trust & Estate Practitioner
- Series 6 and 63 securities licenses
John E. Lagana is a Principal of Nease, Lagana, Eden & Culley, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Ga. John works directly with business owners, executives and high net worth individuals and specializes in executive benefits, business continuity and wealth transfer planning. He has participated in numerous continuing education seminars for the accounting and legal professions. And, he has served as a faculty member for the Estate and Business Insurance programs of the Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Georgia, the Duke Estate Planning Conference, the Georgia Society of CPAs and various life insurance companies. John has spoken before national audiences within the insurance and financial communities, including Estate Planning Councils, Certified Financial Planners and other professional and industry organizations.
John is a graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology in industrial engineering. He additionally received his CLU designation in 1974. He is a registered representative of M Holdings Securities, Inc.
Leadership:
- Life and Qualifying Member of the Million Dollar Round Table & Top of the Table
- Member of the Association of Advanced Underwriters
- Member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals
- Accredited Estate Planner with the National Association of Estate Planning Councils
Certifications/Licenses:
- Series 6 and 63 securities licenses
Mark Eden has been a Principal with Nease, Lagana, Eden & Culley, Inc. since its founding in 1988. He focuses on planning for multi-generational families, family businesses and business owners. His specialties include business perpetuation, wealth transfer and executive benefit planning.
Mark is a speaker before audiences in the insurance and financial communities, conducting presentations on corporate and estate planning topics for attorneys, CPAs, insurance agents and other financial professionals.
Mark graduated from the Georgia State University with a Master in Business Administration and obtained his Bachelor Degree in Accounting from Florida State University. He earned the CLU designation from the American College in 1979. He is a registered representative of M Holdings Securities, Inc.
Leadership:
- Member of the Advanced Association for Life Underwriting
- Life and Qualifying Member of the Million Dollar Round Table
- Member of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils
- Member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals
- Member of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council
- Past Chairman of the AALU’s Business Insurance and Estate Planning Committee
- Past President of the Standard Club of Atlanta
- Past Director and Member of the Atlanta Jewish Federation Board
- Past Member of the Atlanta Jewish Federation Endowment Fund Board
- Past Member of Florida State Alumni Association’s Board of Directors
- Past Member of the Southeast Regional Advisory Board of the Florida State University’s School of Business
Certifications/Licenses
- Series 6 and 63 securities licenses
David A. Culley (Dave) is a Principal of Nease, Lagana, Eden & Culley, Inc. He handles planning for business owners in both public and private sectors. His specialties include business continuity planning with an emphasis on executive benefits, buy-sell funding, key person indemnification, estate planning for high net worth individuals and charitable planning techniques for individuals and corporations.
He is active with many civic and charitable organizations, including Buckhead Baseball, NYO Football and Basketball, the Marist School, Peachtree Presbyterian Church of Atlanta, Capital City Club of Atlanta, and the Georgia Chapter of Gridiron. Dave and his wife, Ann, reside in Atlanta, Ga. They have three sons, Harris, Sam and Andy.
He is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a degree in business administration and accounting. He holds the ChFC and CLU designations from The American College. He is a registered representative of M Holdings Securities, Inc.
Leadership:
- Life and Qualifying Member of the Million Dollar Round Table
- Member of the Atlanta Estate Planning Council
- Member of Pacific Life National Advisory Board
- Member of the American College Advisory Board
- Past President of the Advanced Association for Life Underwriting
- Past President of the NAIFA Atlanta Chapter
- Past President and Member of the Society of Financial Service Professionals
Certifications/Licenses:
- Accredited Estate Planner
- Series 6 and 63 securities licenses
